Apparatus for raising sunken vessels.



A. I. GUSTAFSON.

APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I6. I9IB- 3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

A. I. eusmsow.

APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16, I9I8.

Patented Oct. 15, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 A. J. GUSTAFSON.

APPARATUSFOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS;

APPLICATION FILED MAYI6.I91BL Patented Oct. 15, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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us ca, momumm \vAsmncmu n AUGUST 3'. GUSTAFSON,

" NITED STATES PATENT onn on.

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct. 15, 1918.

Application filed May 16, 1918. Serial No. 234,971.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, AUGUST J. GUs'rArson, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, and in the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus astride of the vessel, in which latter position parts of the apparatus are then adjusted so as to grip the vessel and to raise the latter by the rising movement or buoyant action of the apparatus itself. A further object is to provide an'improved apparatus of this character embodying a series of hollow, fluidtight compartments or elements closed to each other and adapted to be filled with water to cause the apparatus to sink or submerge, and having means for exhausting the water from one or more of the compartments to cause the elements to automatically assume a position with'respect to the supporting structure so that it will be in a position to grip the vessel, while one or more other compartments remain full of water to maintainthe elementssubmerged" After the elements have assumed a proper position with respect to each other and to the vessel, the water is exhausted or removed from the other compartments of the elementsso that the apparatus will become buoyant, and by means of which buoyancy the apparatus will rise to the surface of the water, carrying with it the sunken vessel which it grips, and which vessel will be gripped or held in the apparatus between the said elements.

A further object is to' provide an improved apparatus of this character having means whereby the ingress and egress of the waterinto and out of the buoyant elements may be controlled at Will.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the featureso'f novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section of an improved apparatus of this character and constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention and showing the apparatus as floating upon the water.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of one form of the apparatus by means of which the ingress and egress of the water from the buoyant elements may be controlled.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view partly in elevation and partly in section of a portion of one of the buoyant elements.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the apparatus sunken and with the elements in position to grip the vessel therebetween. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of Fig.1.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail perspective view of a portion of the apparatus.

This apparatus consists essentially of a supporting structure which may be of any desired size, configuration, and construction suitable for the apparatus but comprises a main support 10, preferably of angle-iron construction, suitably braced and may be in the form of a tower at the base of which is arranged a structure comprising the members 1112, which may also be of any desired construction but is preferably formed of angle-iron suitably braced. These members 1112 are pivotally connected as at 1314 with the supporting tower 10, so as to move freely about the pivots, and the proximate ends of the members 1112 are themselves pivotally connected as at 15. so that the ends of the members 11-12 will be held against separation as the members are moved about their pivots 1314. Connected with each of the members 11-12,

preferably adjacent the free ends 16-17 thereof are a plurality of fluid and air-tight elements 18, arranged on both sides of the pivot 15 of the members 11-12, and as the construction and operation of each of these elements 18 is the same, a specific descrip tion of one will apply equally as well to them all.

The element 18 is pivotally connected in any suitable manner such as by means of a hinge 19 with the end of the respective members 11- 12, and these elements 18 may be of any desired size and configuration but Cir are preferably angular in cross-section so as to present a substantially flat surface 20 to the vessel, and the bottom of the elements is preferably arranged on an incline or bevel 21, so as not to interfere with the free move ment of the element 18 about its pivot, when the apparatus is submerged, and which face 21 will move over the bottom of the body of water.

The element 18 is provided with a partition 22, dividing the same into two compartments 23;24, and the partition 22 is preferablyinclined so that the compartment 23 will have a greater area at its base for a purpose to be set forth.

The compartment 28 is provided with an opening 25, preferably located in the baseof the compartment and the compartment 2 1% is also provided with an opening 26 pref: erablyin its base, both for a purpose to be hereinafter set forth.

if desired, the members 11-12 may be provided at their. outer extremities, 16l7, with depending portions 27 between which the elements 18 are adapted to operate, and these depending portions 27 serve as guides to hold the-elements .18 in position.

A pipe 28 isprovided and has communication with the compartment 23, and this pipe has commun cation with a pipe 29, the latter being. supported by the member 11 or 12 and hasa suitable jointed connection with the pipe 28 so as not to interfere with the movement of theelement about its pivot 19. Obviously this jointed connection may be made in any desired or well-known manner, and may be in the pivot itself, if desired. Connected with the pipe 29 is another pipe section 30 and these two sections 29-30 also have a jointed oonununication so as not to interefere with the pivotal movement of the member 11 with respect to toe tower 10. The pipe section 30 extends for any desired distanceabove themembers 11*12, preferably to the supporting platform 31 mounted upon the tower. 10 at any desired elevation. Upon this platform ol. is arranged suitable mechanism for controlling the passage of air throughthe pipes 30-29 and into and outof the compartment in the present form of the invention this mechanism is illustrated as eu'ibodying an air pump 32 with which the pipe 80 has communication; This pump may be actuated by means of a boiler 33 through the pipe communication B l. In order to control at will theflow of air througn the pipe 30, so

that air maybe directed into the compart-,.

ment and removed therefrom when desired, any suitable mechanism may be provided such, for instance, a two-wayvalve of an ordinary and well-known construction,.,whioh, when the valve in ten will form comnumication between the air pump and the pipe30 o that air one posi- Leena-re from the pump being forced through the pipe 30 will flow through the pipe section 29, pipe 28, and into the compartment 23. The pressure of the air thus forced into the compartment 2-3, willoperate to force the water which is in the compartment, out of said compartment through the outlet 25. When the two-way valve 35 is in its other position the pump 32 will be cut ofi from communica= tion with the pipe 3.0, and communication between the pipe 30 and the atmosphere will be established, so that thepressureof the air in the compartment 23 willbe relieved,; and the watenirushing into the compartment 23 through the opening 25, will. forcetheso air out of the compartment 28, thereby allowing the compartment .to be filledwith water;

g' 26. Thus, it. will be manifest that. the flow of the water into and out of thexrespective compartments 232&, which latter are out of communicationwith each other, is at all oo times under thev absolute, control of the. operator. H

. It is thought that the operation of thisportion of the mechanism will be clearly understood from theabovedescription, but, briefly stated, it isas follows:

The members 11-12 may be adjusted with respect to each other about their pivots iii- A, and also. about the pivot 15 to space, the elements18 accordingto the widthof the vessel or article to be raised,it, of course, beingunderstood thatthe water. is forcedv from the compartments23-24of the-ele-. ments 18 so that theywwillbe buoyant. and the whole structure will float upon the water the openings 25-26 are so located with v1 respect to the compartments.that,the opene I ings will be at all times submerged, and if desired, any. suitable or well-known .valves may be appliedto these openings, although .120 the use of valves isinot necessary. r

The. adjustment of the;members-..11-l2 with respect to each other, may be accomplished in any suitable manner such, 01 31 vinstance,-.as acable-39, one end of whiehn maybe connected as at 4L0 with the ,member u. 11 andthe cable may be passedover a. suitable pulley 41 to a Windlass d2, the'latter being arrangednon a suitable shaft 43 supported uponithe platform-.31, so that by Lin operating the Windlass the, two members 1112' may be swung about their pivots 13 14, to cause the outer ends 1617 to move toward each other, and when the wind lass is released, the members 1'1'12 will move in opposite directions about their pivots:

Anynumber of the elements 18 may be employed on each side of theapparatus, and whenthe apparatus has been floated to a position above the vessel to'be raised which may be ascertained by soundingor many other manner, it being, of course, understood that the compartments 23 '24 of the ele ments 18 are filled with 'air,'the water being exhausted therefrom. Inthis position, the two-way valves are opened so as to establish communication between the compartments 23 ofthe elements 18 and the atmosphere. The air in these compartments will then be forced therefrom and the water will flow thereintothroi'igh the openings 25. At the same time the twoway valves controlling the air in compartment 24 is positioned e to exhaust the air therefrom by the inflow of the water'into' the comparment 24 through the opening 26. When these elements 18 are thus filled with water it will be manifest that the loss of buoyancy will cause the apparatus to'submerge or sink from the position shown in Fig. 1 to tlieposition shown in Fig. 4; In this sunken position the elements 18 will stand astride of the vessel 44. The neXt operation is the adjustment of the two-way 1 valve '35 so as to cut oft Communication between the compartment 23 and the atmosphereandto reestablish communication between the compartment 23 and the pump 82. The pump 32 is then operated to force the air through the pipes 30, 29, 28 and into the compartment 23. As the air enters the compartment the pressure thereof will force the water out of the compartment 23 through opening 25. The elements .18 will then become partially buoyant with the result that they will automatically swing about their pivots 19 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig.4. When the elements 18 have thus been positioned, and in order tomaintain them so adjusted so that the weightofthe article being lifted by them will not cause the elements to swing about their pivots in the opposite direction and thereby drop or release the article, any suitable mechanism may beprovided. A simple and efficient means comprises a cable 45, the ends of which are secured as at 46 to the clements 18 and the cable'passed over a suitable windlass or'druin, similar to Windlass or drums 42. on the, shaft 43 and which windlass or drum when operated tends to actuate the cables-45 and thereby move the elements 18 about their pivotsfin one direction and hold them in such adjusted positions. Obviously, the directionofmovement of the els ments 10 by the cables 45 will be controlled .by the direction of operation of the Windlassesor drums 42.

Obviously the shaft 43 may be operated in any desired or suitable manner, and the Windlass or drum 42 may be provided with suitable well-known clutch they may be independently controlled.

With the parts thus adjusted, and when 'it is desired to elevate the apparatus and the devices whereby 7 are in such positions that they will be always maintained closed by the water upon which the apparatus floats.

If desired, the shape of the points or edges 47 of the elements 18 may be such as to form claws or fingers which will insure a firm grip upon the vessel 44.

Obviously suitable stop devices 48 may be provided for limiting the movement of'the elements 18 about its pivot in one direction.

Obviously many changes in the details of construction, and in the combination arrangement of the several parts may be made, within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention, and itis also obvious that flexible joints may be provided where necessary and suitable pulleys may also be provided for the various cables at the necessary points.

hat is claimed as new is 1. An apparatus of the character described, embodying a floating structure, said structure embodying opposed hollow and fluid tight-elements each having separate compartments, means for filling said compartments with water to sink the said structure,

means for adjusting the said elements with respect" to the structure and to each other to cause the elements to approach each other, and means whereby the water may be exhausted from the said elements to cause the latter tobe buoyant to raise the structure. 2. An apparatus of the character described,

embodying a floating structure, said structure embodying opposed hollow and fluid tight elements, means controlled at will for filling said elements with water to sink the structure, means controlled at will for removing a portion of the water from the ele ments, means whereby the removal of such portion of the water from the elements will cause the latter to be moved toward each other and while submerged, and means for removing an additional quantity of the water from the elements. a

3. An apparatus of the character described, embodying floating structure, said structure embodying opposed and spaced fluid tight elements, said elements each embodying two compartments therein separate from each other, means for filling both of the compartments with water to sink the said structure, means for removing the water from one of the compartments whereby the elements will automatically adjust themselves with relation to the supporting structure, and means for removing the water from the other compartment of the elements whereby said structure will become buoyant.

4*. An apparatus of the character described, embodying a floating structure, said structure, embodying opposed and spaced fluid tight elements, said elements each embed ing twocompartments therein separate from each other, means for filling compartment-s with water to sink the said structure, means for removing the water from one of the compartments whereby the elements will automatically adjust themselves with relation to the supporting structure, means for removing the water from the other compartment of the elements whereby said structure will become buoyant, and means whereby the ingress and egress of the waterinto and out of the said compartments may be controlled at will.

5. A floating apparatus of thecharacter described, embodying a supporting structure, a plurality of hollow opposedv and spaced elements pivotally connected with the structure and for adjus ment with respect thereto, means whereby said elements may be filled with water to sink them, means for removing a portion of the water from the elements to cause them to automatically swing about their pivots, into operative positionsawith respect to each other and while they are submerged, and means for removing additional quantities of water from the said 7 elements to cause them to become buoyant.

6. A floating. apparatus of the character described embodying a supporting structure, a plurality of opposed and spaced hollow fluid tight elements shittablymounted upon the said structure, said elements each having a plurality of compartments therein separate from each other, means whereby said compartments may be filled with water to sink them, means for removing the water from one of the compartments to cause the ele-' ments tobecome partially buoyant so as to automatically shift themselves with respect to the supporting structure and while the elements are submerged and means for re moving the water from another compartmentto cause the element to become more buoyant;

both of the,

menses 7. A floating apparatusof the character described; embodying a supporting structure, a

a plurality. of opposedand spac ed,hollow.l

fluid tight elements shiftably mounted upon the said strueture, sa d elements each having ments to become partially, buoyant so as to I to the supporting structure, and while the elements are submerged, meansitor removing the water from another compartment 1 to automatically shift themselves with respect cause the element .to become more buoyant, and means whereby thesaid structure may be ad usted to varyat will the initial dis tance between opposed :elements.;

S. A floatingapparatusbt the character described embodying a supporting structure, plurality of opposedand spaced hollow fluid tightelements-shiftably mounted upon the said structure, said elements each having a plurality of compartmentstherein: separate from each other, means whereby said compartmentsmay be filled with water to sink themmneans for removing the water a from one of the conipartmentsto causethe elements to become partially vbuoyamziso as to automatically shift themselves with respect to the supporting structure, and while the elements are submerged means for relllOVlll the water from another compart- I buoyant, and means for bodily shifting op posed elements-with relation to each other, to varyat will-the extent of the spacebea tween the said opposedelements. 9. A floating apparatus of the-character described, embodying a supporting structure, spaced opposed'hollow; fluidtighti-elei 7 ments mounted upon the structure for ad justment toward each other, means for fill-- ing said elements with water to sink themand the said structure, provisionswhereby;

the elements may be rendered partially buoyant to cause them to be therebyshiftedtoward eachother and while submerged, and; provisions whereby the elements may be rendered more buoyant after being thus adjusted, whereby said elements and the structure will rise in the waten.

10. A floating apparatus ot thecharacterdescribed, embodying a supporting structure, spaced opposed hollow fluid tight elements mounted upon rtherstruct-ure for adjust-ment each other, means for filling saidelements with water to sink them and the said-struc ture, provisions whereby the elements may be rendered partially buoyant to cause them to. be thereby shifted toward each other and with respectthereto and towardelements may be rendered morebuoyantafter being thus adjusted, whereby the said elements and the structure will rise in the water, and additional means for maintaining the said elements in their adjusted position toward each other.

11. A floating apparatus of the character described, embodying a supporting structure, spaced opposed hollow fluid tight elements mounted upon the structure for adjustment with respect thereto and toward each other, means for filling said elements with water to sink them and the said structure, provisions whereby the elements may be rendered partially buoyant to cause them to be thereby shifted toward each other and while submerged, provisions whereby the elements may be rendered more buoyant after being thus adjusted whereby said elements and the structure will rise in the water, and positive means for maintaining the said elements against separation after the said shifting thereof.

12. An apparatus of the character described, embodying a supporting structure, a hollow fluid tight lifting element connected with the structure for adjustment with respect thereto, means for filling the said element with water to sink the same, provisions whereby a portion of the water may be removed from the element when submerged to cause the element to be shifted with respect to the supporting structure and into operative position, and provisions whereby an additional quantity of water may be removed from the element to cause said element to become more buoyant to float in the structure.

13. An apparatus of the character described, embodying a supporting structure, a hollow fluid tight lifting element connected with the structure for adjustment with respect thereto, said element embodying two compartments separated from each other, means for filling the compartments with water to sink the element and the said supporting structure, provisions for removing the water from one of the compartments to cause the element to become partially buoyant and thereby automatically shift itself with respect to the supporting structure and while submerged, and provisions for removing the water from the other compartment to render the element more buoyant to float the same and the said supporting structure.

14. An apparatus of the character de scribed, embodying a supporting structure, a hollow fluid tight lifting element connected with the structure for adjustment with respect thereto, said element embodying two compartments separate from each other, filling the compartments with water to sink the element and the said supporting structure, provisions for removing the water from one of the compartments to cause the element to become partially buoyant and thereby automatically shift itself with respect to the supporting structure and while submerged, provisions for removing the water from the other compartment to render the element more buoyant to float the same and the said supporting structure, and means under the control of the operatorfor maintaining the said element in its adjusted or shifted position with relation to the said supporting structure.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this 14=th day of May, A. D. 1918.

AUGUST J. GUSTAFSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

